Need You Now
by ObviouslyElementary
Summary: The silence in the prison was something odd to him. Usually, there were guards walking by, prisoners talking inside other cells, drops of water falling from the ceiling. The silence in the Nurmengard castle only meant one single thing: an important visit.


The silence in the prison was something odd to him. Usually, there were guards walking by, prisoners talking inside other cells, drops of water falling from the ceiling. The silence in the Nurmengard castle only meant one single thing: an important visit.

Phew were the times when Gellert Grindelwald was ever visited in his exile. Sometimes by the minister of magic, sometimes by aurors that wanted answers to questions he didn't fully understand or remember, and even more rarely, _he_ would show up. With his tired face, his long white beard and hair, fancy robes and pointy hats. With his ever so worried blue eyes, but constantly hiding a smile for him, alone.

How long had it been since the last time they had talked without bars separating them?

Grindelwald moved his eyes from the crack on the wall, slowly turning his head towards the entrance of the cell. The steps were coming closer in the darkness, and he wondered what the last time was that they had seen each other at all.

It was before the goddamned war. Before the time when all Grindelwald could do was sit inside his cell, wondering if he would come back or if he would make a mistake and perish.

He had heard news of the end of the war, of his survival, and those were enough to leave Grindelwald calmer. He had been extremely unstable during the war, with visions after visions of what could happen, different paths, odd ways, futures where everything was in vain.

But as he stared at the dark corridor, listening to the steps of someone approaching, he felt his worried heart settling down inside his body and slowly, he stood up from his chair, the confinement making him feel locked inside his body, with barely no mobility, away from his wand, from his magic, from his power. Everything he loved the most.

The only thing he loved that still belonged to him was approaching his cell, so he could finally have something back.

"Albus" he said, in the darkness, with a smirk on his old face, and the steps stopped. They took a moment, and then returned, slower this time.

Finally, Albus Dumbledore reached the cell, the small spot of light in front of the bars, and the sight of him did not leave Grindelwald comfortable or happy.

He looked exhausted. Disappointed. Upset. Worried. All in one moment. And somehow, as soon as their eyes locked, the old wizard seemed to relax, to feel relief.

Different from most years, he reached out for the bars, wrapping his hands around them. Grindelwald took his time, trying to understand the situation, before placing his hands above Albus' and watching as he collapsed on the floor, on his knees, looking tired and weak.

Grindelwald was quick to kneel, caressing the hands of the wizard he had learned to love.

"Mein phönix…" he whispered, using the fond term he knew Albus loved. Albus did not respond, his eyes and head down towards the ground, and Grindelwald felt even more worried. He intertwined their fingers as he could, and waited.

Eventually, Albus seemed to regain his strengths and looked up at him.

"The boy was saved" he whispered, tiredly, and leaned closer, resting his forehead against the bars. Grindelwald frowned and did the same, trying to come closer to him. "Both boys survived. Longbottom and Potter. I did all I could…"

"You did well, Albus" he whispered, keeping their eyes locked. "You did what you could. You did more than what you could. Now you are in the correct path."

"I could not save their families" he whispered, his crystal blue eyes turning sparkly as they filled up with tears. "The Potters, the Longbottoms… they are all destroyed. I could not save them Gellert, I-"

"You couldn't save them Albus" he assured, squeezing his hand. "There was no possible scenario in which their families would survive. You need them, not their parents or families."

"And what now?" Albus asked, closing his eyes and sighing. "Now I leave Harry to the Dursleys? Make him suffer his whole childhood?"

"You must" Grindelwald said, frowning. "It is the only way. I have seen many visions Albus, many possible futures. This is what must be done. The Longbottom must suffer with his grandmother, and the Potter with his uncle and aunt. It is part of their journeys."

"They have already lost everything Gellert" Albus growled, the tears sliding down his cheeks. "They are not even children yet, they are babies! Do they need to suffer more?! Why do I make all people surrounding me suffer?!"

"It is the price you pay, for being the greatest wizard of the world" Grindelwald whispered, looking down at Albus' robes. "The price you pay for having the power you have. Or do you think that being the lord of death is something simple?"

"I don't want it" Albus whispered, shaking his head slowly. "What good is it, to be the lord of something you don't wish to control?"

"I have been making that same question since my first vision" Grindelwald assured, and moved his hand through the bars, slowly lifting Albus' chin and making him look up. "you are old. You are tired. You have lived enough with enough burdens. However, you still have much to do. The boys must grow, they must fight. They are your only chance of destroying Voldemort once and for all, and leave the wizard and muggle worlds in peace."

"… and to think you were once the one I was fighting" Albus whispered, leaning onto his hand, and Gellert smiled lightly at him.

"I made a way better adversary."

Albus looked at him and Grindelwald looked right back. Then, the bars between them turned into smoke, just around their faces, and Albus moved in closer, through the smoke, to place a soft kiss to Grindelwald's lips.

He returned the gesture with a peck of his own, and a soft sigh.

"You could come with me" Albus whispered, lifting his hands and holding Grindelwald's face. "You could be freed from this prison if you swore your loyalty to me, to the Order's side… you would be so valuable to us… to me… Gellert…"

"I can't leave this prison" he whispered, and smiled at Albus, gently letting his fingers trace down the long white strands of hair. "I must stay. So when he comes, I know what to do. So I can help you with what you need. And to keep myself under control. I need this."

Albus looked at him, disappointed and upset, and Grindelwald understood the sentiment. It was truly a shame, that they couldn't be together even now, both old men. Albus moved back and the bars returned, and slowly the older wizard stood up, looking down at Grindelwald, who was still on the ground.

"I will visit you. To ask about the possible futures" he said, calmly, and fixed his hat and clothes. Grindelwald nodded, standing up as well, and watched as Albus turned his back and left.

If anything, Grindelwald needed somewhere like the prison to make his powers perfect. After all, if he had anything to say to Albus, he needed to be sure whatever it was would work, or what effects it would have.

Albus didn't need to know Grindelwald was constantly learning and training to be able to help the love of his life end with a greater threat.

If Albus was in danger, Grindelwald would do all he could to help him.

Even if it meant staying in prison, until the day he died.


End file.
